Sports They were skerred

Hope Solo on Sweden defeat: 'We lost to a bunch of cowards'SI WIRE
AUG 12, 2016 3:54 PM EDT
Eugenio Savio/AP
United States women’s national soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo didn’t mince words after her team’s defeat to Sweden on Friday.

Team USA, the defending gold medalists, crashed out of Olympic competition with a quarterfinal loss on penalty kicks. But Solo said her team didn't deserve to lose.

"I thought we played a courageous game. I thought we had many opportunities on goal. I think we showed a lot of heart," Solo said, according to Graham Hays of espnW.com. "We came back from a goal down, I'm very proud of this team.

"And I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The better team did not win today, I strongly, firmly believe that."

Sweden opened the scoring in the 61st minute courtesy of Stina Blackstenius, but Alex Morgan equalized for the United States in the 77th minute. After neither team broke through in extra time—each side had a goal questionably disallowed for offside—Sweden prevailed in penalty kicks, with Alex Morgan and Christen Press failing to convert for the U.S.